View source for Brian Leetch

{{Short description|American ice hockey player (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Brian Leetch
| halloffame = 2009
| image = Brian Leetch New York Rangers 1997 Vancouver.jpg
| image_size = 230px
| caption = Leetch with the [[New York Rangers]] in 1997
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|3|3}}
| birth_place = [[Corpus Christi, Texas]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 185
| position = [[Defenceman|Defense]]
| shoots = Left
| played_for = [[New York Rangers]]<br>[[Toronto Maple Leafs]]<br>[[Boston Bruins]]
| ntl_team = USA
| draft = 9th overall
| draft_year = 1986
| draft_team = [[New York Rangers]]
| career_start = 1987
| career_end = 2006
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[ice hockey]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[2002 Winter Olympics|2002 Salt Lake City]] | [[Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics|Ice hockey]]}}
}}
'''Brian Joseph Leetch''' (born March 3, 1968) is an American former professional [[ice hockey]] [[Defenceman|defenseman]] who played 18 [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) [[Season (sports)|season]]s with the [[New York Rangers]], [[Toronto Maple Leafs]], and [[Boston Bruins]]. He has been called one of the top defensemen in NHL history.

Leetch accumulated many individual honors during his 18-year career. He was a two-time [[James Norris Memorial Trophy|Norris Trophy]] winner as the NHL's best defenseman (1992, 1997) and was the first American-born winner of the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] as playoff MVP for his performance during the Rangers' run to the [[1994 Stanley Cup Finals|1994 Stanley Cup]] championship. Leetch is one of only six NHL defensemen to score 100 points in a season with his 102-point campaign in 1991–92. He won the [[Calder Memorial Trophy|Calder Trophy]] as the NHL Rookie of the Year in 1989 and his 23 goals that season remain an NHL record for rookie defensemen.

Leetch's number 2 was retired by the Rangers on January 24, 2008. During the ceremony, longtime teammate [[Mark Messier]] referred to Leetch as the single "Greatest Ranger of All Time." Leetch was inducted into the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] in Toronto in 2009, his first year of eligibility. In 2017 Leetch was named one of the "[[100 Greatest NHL Players]]" in history.<ref>{{cite web|title=100 Greatest NHL Players|url=https://www.nhl.com/fans/nhl-centennial/100-greatest-nhl-players|website=NHL.com|access-date=January 27, 2017|date=January 27, 2017}}</ref> He was inducted into the [[IIHF Hall of Fame]] in 2023.

==Biography==

===Early life===
Leetch was born in [[Corpus Christi, Texas]], but was raised in [[Cheshire, Connecticut]], where his family moved when he was three months old. He first learned to play hockey at a local ice rink managed by his father, [[Jack Leetch|Jack]]. In high school, he starred in baseball and hockey, first at [[Cheshire High School]], and then at [[Avon Old Farms]]. As a sophomore, Leetch's 90&nbsp;mph [[fastball]] helped the Cheshire Rams baseball team to a state championship and, as a senior at Avon Old Farms, he set the school record for strikeouts in a game with 19. Hockey, however, was the sport in which he most excelled. As a sophomore at Cheshire, he scored 53 goals and 50 assists, earning All-state honors.<ref>[http://www.iwasallstate.com/WinterSports/BoysIceHockey/IceHockeyAllStateTeams/1980s/1984/tabid/246/Default.aspx 1984 Connecticut All-State Ice Hockey]</ref>

In two seasons with [[Avon Old Farms]], Leetch scored 70 goals and 90 assists in 54 games. These numbers were especially remarkable for a defenseman. NHL scouts were starting to take notice and the New York Rangers chose Leetch as their first-round pick (9th overall) in 1986, making him the first player drafted that year who did not play major junior hockey. Following in the footsteps of his father Jack, Brian enrolled at [[Boston College]] in the fall of 1986, and, like his father, would become an All-America defenseman for the Eagles.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-leetch-has-more-goals-r/149637819/ |title=Leetch has more goals remaining |first=Tom |last=Yantz |newspaper=[[Hartford Courant]] |page=42 |date=1987-05-29 |access-date=2024-06-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

===Playing career===
After one season at [[Boston College]], he played for the [[United States men's national ice hockey team|US Olympic team]] at the [[Ice hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics|1988 Games in Calgary]], making his NHL debut, eight days later, with the New York Rangers on February 29, 1988, versus [[St. Louis Blues|St. Louis]]. Leetch tallied his first NHL point in the game with an assist on [[Kelly Kisio]]'s goal. He finished out the [[1987-88 NHL season|1987-88]] season with 14 points in 17 games. In his first full NHL season ([[1988–89 NHL season|1988-89]]), Leetch notched 71 points, including a rookie defenseman-record 23 goals, winning the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] as well as being selected to the [[NHL All-Rookie Team]].

As the Rangers slowly developed into a championship-caliber team, Leetch won increasing respect from fans for his quiet demeanor and entertaining, offensive-minded play. In [[1991–92 NHL season|1992]] he became the fifth defenseman in history, and the only American defenseman, to record 100 points in a season and was awarded the [[Norris Trophy]]. Leetch was the last NHL defenseman to record 100 points for season until [[Erik Karlsson]] reached the mark in {{NHL Year|2022}}. On March 21, 1993, Leetch suffered a broken ankle after slipping on black ice after stepping out of a cab.<ref name="brooks">{{cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2015/02/07/lundqvist-isnt-alone-the-injuries-that-altered-rangers-history/ |title=Lundqvist isn't alone: The injuries that altered Rangers' history |last=Brooks |first=Larry |work=New York Post |date=February 7, 2015 |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> The injury caused Leetch to miss the rest of the season, prompting a Rangers slump that caused them to miss the playoffs.<ref name="brooks" /> In [[1993–94 NHL season|1994]] he again matched his career-high of 23 goals in the regular season as the Rangers won the [[Presidents' Trophy]]. That year, the Rangers' 54-year championship drought ended with a seven-game [[Stanley Cup Finals]] victory over the [[Vancouver Canucks]]. Leetch became the first non-Canadian to be awarded the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]], and remained the only American to do so until  [[Tim Thomas (ice hockey, born 1974)|Tim Thomas]] of the [[Boston Bruins]] in 2011. Leetch was the second player in NHL history (after [[Bobby Orr]]) to win the [[Calder Memorial Trophy|Calder Trophy]], the [[James Norris Memorial Trophy|Norris Trophy]], and the Conn Smythe Trophy in his career. Only [[Cale Makar]] has matched this feat since.

Following the Rangers' Cup win in 1994, Leetch remained a fan favorite and team leader, serving as [[Captain (ice hockey)|Captain]] from 1997–2000 after the departure of [[Mark Messier]] to the [[Vancouver Canucks]] (he would return the captaincy to Messier upon Messier's return to the Rangers in 2000).

In 1996, Leetch captained the victorious [[United States men's national ice hockey team|American team]] at the inaugural [[1996 World Cup of Hockey|World Cup of Hockey]].

[[File:Brian Leetch New York Rangers 1997.jpg|right|thumb|Leetch playing for the New York Rangers in 1997]]
In [[1996–97 NHL season|1997]], he again won the Norris Trophy and the Rangers made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the [[Philadelphia Flyers]]. The next years, however, were marked by disappointing team performances that saw the Rangers miss the playoffs every year.

====After the Rangers====

In 1998, Leetch was ranked 71st on [[List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News|''The Hockey News''' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/the-top-100-nhl-players-of-all-time-throwback-style|title=The Top 100 NHL players of all-time, throwback style |last=Kay|first=Jason|work=The Hockey News|access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> On June 30, 2003, as a pending free agent, his rights were traded to the [[Edmonton Oilers]] in exchange for [[Jussi Markkanen]] and a fourth-round pick in the [[2004 NHL Entry Draft|2004 draft]]. The Oilers did not sign him, and he signed a two-year contract to return to the Rangers a month later.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/31/sports/hockey-the-rangers-sign-leetch-to-a-two-year-contract.html|title=Hockey; The Rangers Sign Leetch To a Two-Year Contract |work=The New York Times |last=Litsky |first=Frank |date=July 31, 2003 |access-date=November 7, 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> After the especially unsuccessful [[2003–04 NHL season|2004]] campaign, the Rangers traded most of their high-priced veterans;  Leetch was traded to the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] just prior to the trade deadline for prospects [[Maxim Kondratiev]], [[Jarkko Immonen]], a first-round pick in the [[2004 NHL Entry Draft|2004 draft]], which became [[Kris Chucko]] (pick was later traded to the [[Calgary Flames]]), and a second-round pick in [[2005 NHL Entry Draft|2005]], which became [[Michael Sauer (ice hockey)|Michael Sauer]].

Leetch was set to play the [[2004–05 NHL season|2004–05 season]] with the Maple Leafs, however, due to the [[2004–05 NHL lockout|2004–05 lockout]], the last year of his contract expired, and he became a free agent. Leetch signed a one-year, $4-million contract with the [[Boston Bruins]] before the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2123660 |title=Bruins sign defenseman Leetch to one-year deal |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=August 3, 2005 |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> Although the Bruins failed to make the postseason, Leetch scored his [[List of NHL players with 1000 points|1,000th career point]] as a member of the team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/montreal-beats-bruins-4-3-leetch-notches-1000th-point/c-447032 |title=Montreal beats Bruins, 4-3; Leetch notches 1,000th point |publisher=NHL.com |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref>

Throughout the [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07 season]], Leetch received contract offers from several NHL teams, but accepted none.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=NHL.com |url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=310882&page=NewsPage&service=page |title=Leetch: Remember me as a Ranger}}{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/sports/hockey/25leetch.html |title=Brian Leetch Retires From Hockey |work=The New York Times |last=Zinser |first=Lynn |date=May 25, 2007 |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> On May 24, 2007, Leetch officially announced his retirement, bringing his 18-year NHL career to an end.<ref name="tsn">{{cite web |publisher=TSN.ca |url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208719 |title=Leetch officially retires from NHL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080331201707/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208719 |archive-date=2008-03-31 |agency=The Canadian Press}}</ref>

On September 18, 2007 Leetch was announced as one of the four recipients of the 2007 [[Lester Patrick Trophy]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher=NHL.com |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/leetch-granato-fischler-and-halligan-selected-as-recipients-of-2007-lester-patrick-award/c-372455 |title=Leetch, Granato, Fischler and Halligan selected as recipients of 2007 Lester Patrick Award|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |agency=The Canadian Press |title=Leetch, Cammi Granato Among 4 Winners of Lester Patrick Award |url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/leetch-cammi-granato-among-4-winners-of-lester-patrick-award|work=The Hockey News |access-date=22 December 2017 |date=November 7, 2007}}</ref>

On January 24, 2008, the New York Rangers retired Leetch's number 2 jersey, joining fellow 1994 Stanley Cup Champion teammates [[Mark Messier]] and [[Mike Richter]], as well as [[Rod Gilbert]] and [[Eddie Giacomin]] in the rafters of [[Madison Square Garden]]. On that night, his friend, [[Derek Jeter]] of the [[New York Yankees]] congratulated Leetch for the honor of having his number retired with a video that ended with Jeter saying "So congratulations, from one number 2 to another."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/rangers-raise-leetchs-no-2-to-rafters-of-madison-square-garden/c-351151 |title=Rangers raise Leetch's No. 2 to rafters of Madison Square Garden |publisher=NHL.com|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref> Leetch also had the honor of announcing during his ceremony that the New York Rangers would retire his friend and former teammate [[Adam Graves]]' number during the 2008–09 season, joining Leetch and the other greats above the Madison Square Gardens ice.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=20392 |title=No. 2 Goes to The Garden Rafters; No. 9 Next |publisher=New York Rangers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127160404/http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=20392 |archive-date=January 27, 2008}}</ref>

On October 10, 2008, both Leetch and Richter were inducted into the [[United States Hockey Hall of Fame]] in Denver.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eichel |first1=Matt |title=US Hockey Hall Of Fame Inducts Richter, Leetch, and Hull |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/46866-us-hockey-hall-of-fame-inducts-richter-leetch-and-hull |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref> Both of them also played for the silver medal-winning [[United States national men's ice hockey team|U.S. ice hockey team]] during the [[2002 Winter Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The new Hall of Famers |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/the-new-hall-of-famers/c-385969 |publisher=NHL.com |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>

On June 23, 2009, it was announced that Leetch would be inducted into the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]]. He was honored during the November 6–9 induction weekend alongside [[Steve Yzerman]], [[Brett Hull]] and [[Luc Robitaille]].<ref name=HHOF>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/ind09prolog.htm#1styears|title=Hockey Hall of Fame Announces 2009 Inductees|date=June 23, 2009|access-date=June 23, 2009 |work=Legends of Hockey |publisher=[[Hockey Hall of Fame]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706135908/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/ind09prolog.htm#1styears|archive-date=July 6, 2010}}</ref> The induction made it the third year in a row that a member of the Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup team has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, following Messier in 2007 and [[Glenn Anderson]] in 2008, who was also inducted along with one of the on-ice officials when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, [[Ray Scapinello]].

In August 2015 Leetch became manager of player safety in the NHL's Department of Player Safety, leaving after one season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/leetch-burke-join-nhl-department-of-player-safety/c-680736|title=Leetch, Burke join NHL Department of Player Safety|access-date=September 17, 2016|publisher=NHL.com|date=August 22, 2013}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|
! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
! colspan="5"|[[Regular season]]
! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
! colspan="5"|[[Playoffs]]
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! [[Season (sports)|Season]]
! Team
! League
! GP
! [[Goal (ice hockey)|G]]
! [[Assist (ice hockey)|A]]
! [[Point (ice hockey)|Pts]]
! [[Penalty (ice hockey)|PIM]]
! GP
! G
! A
! Pts
! PIM
|-
| 1983–84||[[Cheshire High School]]||[[Connecticut Association of Schools|HS]]||28||52||49||101||24||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1984–85||[[Avon Old Farms]]||HS||26||30||46||76||15||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 1985–86||Avon Old Farms||HS||28||40||44||84||18||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1986–87 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1986–87]]||[[Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey|Boston College]]||[[Hockey East|HE]]||37||9||38||47||10||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 1987–88||[[United States men's national ice hockey team|United States]]||Intl||50||13||61||74||38||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1987–88 NHL season|1987–88]]||[[New York Rangers]]||[[National Hockey League|NHL]]||17||2||12||14||0||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| [[1988–89 NHL season|1988–89]]||New York Rangers||NHL||68||23||48||71||50||4||3||2||5||2
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1989–90 NHL season|1989–90]]||New York Rangers||NHL||72||11||45||56||26||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| [[1990–91 NHL season|1990–91]]||New York Rangers||NHL||80||16||72||88||42||6||1||3||4||0
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1991–92 NHL season|1991–92]]||New York Rangers||NHL||80||22||80||102||26||13||4||11||15||4
|-
| [[1992–93 NHL season|1992–93]]||New York Rangers||NHL||36||6||30||36||26||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1993–94 NHL season|1993–94]]||New York Rangers||NHL||84||23||56||79||27||23||11||23||34||6
|-
| [[1994–95 NHL season|1994–95]]||New York Rangers||NHL||48||9||32||41||18||10||6||8||14||8
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96]]||New York Rangers||NHL||82||15||70||85||30||11||1||6||7||4
|-
| [[1996–97 NHL season|1996–97]]||New York Rangers||NHL||82||20||58||78||40||15||2||8||10||6
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1997–98 NHL season|1997–98]]||New York Rangers||NHL||76||17||33||50||32||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99]]||New York Rangers||NHL||82||13||42||55||42||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[1999–2000 NHL season|1999–2000]]||New York Rangers||NHL||50||7||19||26||20||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01]]||New York Rangers||NHL||82||21||58||79||34||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02]]||New York Rangers||NHL||82||10||45||55||28||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03]]||New York Rangers||NHL||51||12||18||30||20||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]]||New York Rangers||NHL||57||13||23||36||24||—||—||—||—||—
|-
| 2003–04||[[Toronto Maple Leafs]]||NHL||15||2||13||15||10||13||0||8||8||6
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]]||[[Boston Bruins]]||NHL||61||5||27||32||36||—||—||—||—||—
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL totals
! 1,205
! 247
! 781
! 1,028
! 571
! 95
! 28
! 69
! 97
! 36
|}

===International===
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:50em"
|- align="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year
! Team
! Event
! rowspan="99" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" |&nbsp;
! GP
! G
! A
! Pts
! PIM
|-
|[[1985 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|1985]]
|[[United States men's national junior ice hockey team|United States]]
|[[World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|WJC]]
| 7
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 2
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
|[[1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|1986]]
| United States
| WJC
| 7
| 1
| 4
| 5
| 2
|-
|[[1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|1987]]
| United States
| WJC
| 7
| 1
| 2
| 3
| 6
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
|[[1987 World Ice Hockey Championships|1987]]
|[[United States men's national ice hockey team|United States]]
|[[World Ice Hockey Championships|WC]]
| 10
| 4
| 5
| 9
| 4
|-
|[[Ice hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics|1988]]
| United States
|[[Ice hockey at the Olympic Games|OG]]
| 6
| 1
| 5
| 6
| 4
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
|[[1989 World Ice Hockey Championships|1989]]
| United States
| WC
| 10
| 3
| 4
| 7
| 4
|-
|[[1991 Canada Cup|1991]]
| United States
|[[Canada Cup|CC]]
| 7
| 1
| 3
| 4
| 2
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
|[[1996 World Cup of Hockey|1996]]
| United States
|[[World Cup of Hockey|WCH]]
| 7
| 0
| 7
| 7
| 4
|-
|[[Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics – Men's tournament|1998]]
| United States
| OG
| 4
| 1
| 1
| 2
| 0
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
|[[Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics|2002]]
| United States
| OG
| 6
| 0
| 5
| 5
| 0
|-
|[[2004 World Cup of Hockey|2004]]
| United States
| WCH
| 5
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 6
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | Junior totals
! 21
! 2
! 6
! 8
! 10
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | Senior totals
! 55
! 10
! 31
! 41
! 24
|}

==Awards and achievements==
{| class="wikitable"
! Award
! Year
!
|-
| All-[[Hockey East]] [[List of All-Hockey East Teams#Rookie Team|Rookie Team]]
| [[1986–87 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1986–87]]
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Hockey East All-Rookie Teams|url=http://www.augenblick.org/chha/hea_roo.html|publisher=College Hockey Historical Archives|access-date=May 19, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| All-[[Hockey East]] [[List of All-Hockey East Teams#First Team|First Team]]
| [[1986–87 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1986–87]]
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Hockey East All-Teams|url=http://www.augenblick.org/chha/hea_all.html|publisher=College Hockey Historical Archives|access-date=May 19, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| [[American Hockey Coaches Association|AHCA]] [[List of Division I AHCA All-American Teams|East first-team All-American]]
| [[1986–87 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1986–87]]
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_icehockey_rb/2013/MIH%20awards%20for%202013.pdf|publisher=NCAA.org|access-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| [[Hockey East]] [[List of Hockey East All-Tournament Teams|All-Tournament Team]]
| [[1987 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament|1987]]
| <ref>{{cite news|title=2013-14 Hockey East Media Guide|url=http://issuu.com/hockeyeast/docs/1314heamguide|publisher=Hockey East|access-date=2014-05-19}}</ref>
|-
|}

*Olympic silver medal ([[Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics|2002]])
*Olympic Tournament All-Star team (2002)
*[[James Norris Memorial Trophy]] (Top NHL Defenseman) ([[1991–92 NHL season|1992]], [[1996–97 NHL season|1997]])
*[[NHL All-Star team|NHL first team All-Star]] (1992, 1997)
*NHL second team All-Star ([[1990–91 NHL season|1991]], [[1993–94 NHL season|1994]], [[1995–96 NHL season|1996]])
*[[Stanley Cup]] champion ([[1994 Stanley Cup Finals|1994]])
*First American-born [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] award winner (NHL Playoffs MVP) ([[1994 Stanley Cup Finals|1994]])
*[[Calder Memorial Trophy]] (Top NHL Rookie) ([[1988–89 NHL season|1989]])
*[[NHL All-Rookie Team]] (1989)
*Hockey East Player of the Year (1987)
*Hockey East Rookie of the Year (1987)
*Hockey East Tournament MVP Award (1987)
*Won bronze medal at [[1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships]].
*All-Star Selection, Defense, [[1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|1987]] IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships<ref>Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009–10, p.519, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, {{ISBN|978-1-55468-621-6}}</ref>
*[[NHL All-Star Game]] selection ([[40th National Hockey League All-Star Game|1990]], [[41st National Hockey League All-Star Game|1991]], [[42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game|1992]], [[43rd National Hockey League All-Star Game|1993]], [[44th National Hockey League All-Star Game|1994]], [[46th National Hockey League All-Star Game|1996]], [[47th National Hockey League All-Star Game|1997]], [[48th National Hockey League All-Star Game|1998]], [[51st National Hockey League All-Star Game|2001]], [[52nd National Hockey League All-Star Game|2002]], [[53rd National Hockey League All-Star Game|2003]]).
*Won gold medal at [[1996 World Cup of Hockey]] – Was the captain of Team USA
*While still playing, was named #71 on the [[List of 100 greatest NHL players by The Hockey News|100 greatest NHL players]], as compiled by [[The Hockey News]] (and the second-highest player born and trained in the United States, behind [[Frank Brimsek]])
* Inducted into the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] – 2009<ref name="HHOF"/>
* In the 2009 book ''100 Ranger Greats'', the authors ranked Leetch the Top Ranger of All Time of the [[List of New York Rangers players|901 New York Rangers]] who had played during the team's first [[2008–09 New York Rangers season|82 seasons]].<ref>{{cite book|url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6860998-100-ranger-greats#bookDetails |title=100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters |first1=Russ |last1=Cohen |first2=John |last2=Halligan |first3=Adam |last3=Raider |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |isbn= 978-0470736197 |date=2009 |access-date=February 3, 2020|page=228}}</ref>
*[[IIHF Hall of Fame]] induction in 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/news/40893/iihf_honours_international_mix_for_hall_of_fame_23|title=IIHF honours international mix for Hall of Fame '23|last=Podnieks|first=Andrew|author-link=Andrew Podnieks|date=9 December 2022|website=[[International Ice Hockey Federation]]|access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wm/news/45376/celebrating_a_century_of_legends|title=Celebrating a century of legends|last=Potts|first=Andy|date=28 May 2023|website=[[International Ice Hockey Federation]]|access-date=13 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1274725|title=Leetch Inducted Into IIHF Hall of Fame|date=28 May 2023|website=[[USA Hockey]]|access-date=13 June 2023}}</ref>

===New York Rangers awards===
*MVP: 1989, 1991, 1997, [[1998–99 NHL season|1999]], [[2000–01 NHL season|2001]], [[2002–03 NHL season|2003]]
*Players' Player Award: 2001, [[2001–02 NHL season|2002]], 2003, 2004
*Frank Boucher Award: 2001
*Crumb Bum Award: 1994
*[[Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award]]: 1997
*Good Guy Award: 2002
*Ceil Saidel Memorial Award: 2002, 2003
*<nowiki>#</nowiki>2 jersey retired by New York Rangers on January 24, 2008

==Records==

===NHL records===
*Most goals by a rookie [[Defenceman (ice hockey)|defenseman]] (23, [[1988–89 NHL season|1988–89 season]])

===New York Rangers regular season records===
*Most assists, career: 741
*Most goals by a defenseman, career: 240
*Most points by a defenseman, career: 981
*Most assists, single-season: 80 (1991–92)
*Most points by a defenseman, single season: 102 (1991–92)
*Most power-play goals by a defenseman, single-season: 17 ([[1993–94 NHL season|1993–94]])

===New York Rangers playoff records===
*Most assists, career: 61
*Most points, career: 89
*Most assists, one year: 23, [[1994 Stanley Cup playoffs|1993–94]]
*Most points, one year: 34, 1993–94
*Most goals by a defenseman, career: 28
*Most goals by a defenseman, one year: 11, 1993–94

==See also==
* [[List of NHL players with 1000 points]]
* [[List of NHL players with 1000 games played]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121085034/http://rangers.nhl.com/leetch/index.htm |date=January 21, 2008 |title=Brian Leetch night – Tribute page }}
*{{icehockeystats}}
*{{Charlie Rose guest|87}}

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{{succession box | before = [[Peter Marshall (ice hockey)|Peter Marshall]]| title = [[List of William Flynn Tournament Most Valuable Player|William Flynn Tournament Most Valuable Player]] | years = [[1987 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament|1987]]| after = [[Bruce Racine]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Chris Chelios]] | title = Winner of the [[Norris Trophy]] | years = [[1996–97 NHL season|1997]] | after = [[Rob Blake]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Patrick Roy]] | title = Winner of the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] | years = [[1993–94 NHL season|1994]] | after = [[Claude Lemieux]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Ray Bourque]] | title = Winner of the [[Norris Trophy]] | years = [[1991–92 NHL season|1992]] | after = [[Chris Chelios]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Joe Nieuwendyk]] | title = Winner of the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] | years = [[1988–89 NHL season|1989]] | after = [[Sergei Makarov (ice hockey, born 1958)|Sergei Makarov]]}}
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